The representation of the subalpine grassland vegetation of Pieria Mts in the annual pollen deposits

The vegetation of the subalpine grasslands of the Pieria Mts. was classified with the Braun- Blanquet method during the period 1999-2000. Data on the annual pollen deposits are being collected since 1996 with the use of Tauber pollen traps in order to find a pattern of relation with the surrounding vegetation. The presence of a taxon in the pollen assemblage is defined by factors like its mode of pollination, the amount of pollen produced, the number of individuals of that taxon, their closeness to the pollen traps, etc. The vegetation of the subalpine grasslands of the Pieria Mts. is dominated by Gramineae and Juniperus communis ssp. nana. These anemogamous taxa are the most abundant in the pollen deposits. On the contrary entomogamous taxa, like the dwarf shrubs Vaccinum myrtilus and Brucenthalia spicufolia, which have a notable occurrence around the pollen traps are either underrepresented or absent from the pollen deposits. Moreover, pine pollen constitutes a significant part of the pollen assemblage which is expected since this taxon is the major element of the forest vegetation in the area.